Weather Market Talk in Pulses

REGINA - Jun 6/17 - SNS -- Over a third of this year's pulse crops are flowering in Saskatchewan, but forecasts for hot and dry weather through the coming week has created concern about stress on plants and flowers in areas where lentils and chickpeas are mainly grown.

In its latest crop progress report, Saskatchewan Agriculture said, "Many areas remain dry and producers are hoping for rainfall to boost crop development. . . Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 5% surplus, 49% adequate, 37% short and 9% very short.

"Overall, crops are at their normal stages of development for this time of year; however, there are some crops that are behind due to moisture issues. . . . While dry conditions are causing crop stress in most areas, particularly in the south, some areas in the north have issues with wet conditions."

          Saskatchewan Pulse Crop Development Stage
                        (per cent)
               Emerging Vegetative  Flowering    Podding
Southeast             2         59         37          0
Southwest             3         53         44          0
East Central          5         70         25          0
West Central          1         69         30          0
Northeast             7         63         30          0
Northwest             1         71         27          1
All                   2         61         37          0
SOURCE: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Southeastern Saskatchewan received very little rain this past week, Many areas remain dry and producers are hoping for rainfall to boost crop development and hay and pasture growth. Across the region, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 1% surplus, 48% adequate, 39% short and 12% very short.

Southwestern Saskatchewan also received very little rain this past week. Topsoil moisture in the region is rated as 24% adequate, 55% short and 21% very short.

In East-Central Saskatchewan, topsoil moisture is rated as 1% surplus, 63% adequate, 32% short and 4% very short.

Topsoil in West-Central Saskatchewan is rated as 46% adequate, 48% short and 6% very short; compared to 20% surplus, 70% adequate, 6% short and 4% very short in Northeastern Saskatchewan; and 19% surplus, 60% adequate, and 21% short in Northwestern Saskatchewan.